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Professional chefs and students
currently enrolled in a culinary school
program have until March 31 to enter
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese
Professional Chefs Recipe Contest.

For a chance to win the $2,500 firstprize, submit an original recipe featuring Crave Brothers FreshMozzarella or Crave Brothers Mascarpone. The second-placewinner will receive $2,000, and the third-place prize is a CraveBrothers cooler tote with a selection of Crave Brothers FarmsteadClassics Cheeses and a cutting board. Professionals and studentsare invited to submit recipes suitable for adding to their menusor being featured as menu specials. Side dish (includingsalads) and entree recipes that incorporate Crave Brothers FreshMozzarella and/or Crave Brothers Mascarpone and dessert recipesthat feature Crave Brothers Mascarpone are eligible. Contestantsmay enter more than one recipe. Judges will be looking for themost innovative and creative recipes with the best flavor. Emailentries to Beth Crave at beth@cravecheese.com by midnight,March 31. Contest winners will be announced May 18.

The California Avocado Commission (CAC) has announced the 2018 crop forecast: 374.6 million
pounds of avocados. The total nearly doubles the yield of last year’s crop. The crop forecast comes
after a series of weather events, including the Lilac fire in Riverside county and the Thomas fire
in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. To support the 2018 crop, CAC will continue its “Made of
California” marketing campaign. Marketing plans for targeted customers will be a focus, and CAC has
a full slate of programs in development.

Research from The Blueberry Council offers a better understanding of the culinary opportunities ofblueberries on menus. With taste being the #1 reason whyblueberries are popular with consumers, more chefs are movingthem outside traditional sweet applications and into more savory areas of the menu.

• 9 in 10 foodservice operators believe blueberries are well-suited for savory food prep• 38% of foodservice operators think blueberries are a good fit in savory marinades and sauces• 1 in 5 foodservice operators think blueberries are a good fit for main entrees• 52% of consumers believe that blueberries make menu items more appealing• 57% of consumers say blueberries make meals more enjoyable• 62% of consumers strongly agree that blueberries are great in many ways beyond breakfast and dessertThe National Mango Board invites chefs and restaurant operators to keep menus on trend with flavorful, colorful,multipurpose mangos. The National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot 2018 Culinary Forecast names housemadecondiments, artisan pickles and ethnic condiments as three of the top 10 food trends this year. Fresh mangointegrates easily into condiments and encourages endless creativity. Recent mango menu research from Datassentialnotes that mango salsas are one of the most popular ways operators use the fruit as a condiment. Mango chutneysand vinaigrettes are also featured on menus, as are relishes.

FRUIT NEWSJBF ANNOUNCES 2018 AMERICA’SCLASSICS AWARDS

The James Beard Foundation (JBF) has
announced the five recipients of its 2018

America’s Classics award, given to restaurantsthat have timeless appeal and are cherishedfor quality food that reflects the character ofthe community. To qualify, establishmentsmust have been in existence at least 10 years and be locally owned. The